Buffalo Hospice to sponsor screening of 'Being Mortal'

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In recognition of National Healthcare Decisions Day, Hospice Buffalo will host a free community screening of the PBS “Frontline” documentary “Being Mortal” at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The free screening – made possible by a grant from the John and Wauna Harman Foundation, in partnership with the Hospice Foundation of America – will take place in the Education Center of the organization’s Mitchell Campus, 225 Como Park Blvd., Cheektowaga. Afterward, audience members can participate in a guided conversation on how to identify and communicate wishes about end-of-life goals and preferences.

“Being Mortal” delves into the hopes of patients and families facing terminal illness, recognizing when hospice and palliative care may be appropriate, and identifying that the patient’s quality of life outweighs the pain and suffering from the current treatment plan. It underscores the importance of people planning ahead and talking with family members about health care decisions.

* Seventy percent of Americans say they would prefer to die at home, but nearly 70 percent die in hospitals and institutions.

* Ninety percent of Americans know they should have conversations about end-of-life care, yet only 30 percent have done so.

For more information, call 686-8070 or email cotminski@PalliativeCare.org.